Choose questions from TKI survey to ask staff about their ICT level. Say we are just seeking data so we can personalise your ICT PD.

Working with technology and e learning not just for e learning classes but the whole school. Teachers are on a learning journey, as are students.

Now is the best time to start on ICT PD because the infrastructure is established, (fibre, UFB, fast wireless etc)

Gradual move to cloud based technology. Start looking at options.
Cloud based options: there are many but here are a few. Google Apps, Office 365, iCloud.
IPad/tablet cloud based apps such as Edmodo, Evernote.

Barriers/solutions to ICT development:Need for teacher PD. One idea: Have an ICT component on teacher appraisals.Need time to explore and become confident and familiar with programs/apps, Confidence in using devices - comes with practice.Availability of devices - home and school - BYOD or provide, or both? Parent rent to buy options. Zero interest store specials. Parents qualify for school discounts through TTS.Lack of internet access and parent support at home still a problem for some.Ability to relate digital technology to current pedagogy. ICT is the tool - needs to be driven by pedagogy.

Connectivity ..need time to buddy up with colleagues and mentors ...enthusiasm spreads!
Not hierarchical change but teachers working with teachers.

Upskilling parents of kids ...Finlayson Park School has been running after-school parents classes for 10 years. Parents are more computer literate and more involved in kids' school work. Offering free internet for close families.

Chromebooks v iPads; tablets v laptops. Chromebooks are well suited to cloud technology, especially Google Apps, but iPads are excellent tools in different situations- open ended/ creation apps best. Give kids the choice of device for a purpose and let them make mistakes. Kids should be working with different devices for different purposes. Need to develop a culture of collaborative learning.
Transformational learning - look for personal transformational moments.
A whole bunch of new literacies emerging.

We need to be developing collaborative, creative students for future workforces!

Thursday, May 29, 2014

A great informative session at Finlayson Park School Thursday 22 May.

Valay Raman, from Finlayson Park shared a little of their ICT journey, and spoke about the Computers in Homes project for low income families, available to apply for. He also spoke about 21 steps to BYOD.

Valay: ‘Thank you to those that attended the meeting at Finlayson Park School. Remember we are the people who need to lead 21st century learning through ICT. Here is the link to 21 steps to BYOD and raising student achievement by creating an environment of 365 learning.You will find them in the right-hand-side blue box, here: http://www.microsoft.com/nz/21steps/. Hope it is helpful to you.’Valay RamanAssistant PrincipalFinlayson Park School

Megan Clune, from Puhinui spoke on Google docs and Teacher Dashboard with a slide show presentation.

Megan: ‘Here is the link to access the slideshow from this afternoon's meeting:http://goo.gl/hJiiFRI have added a couple of notes about teacher dashboard and a resources page with some informative links. If you have any other links to share, please add them to the resources table.

If you would like to use slideshow or any part of it, please go to 'file' 'make a copy' and then you will be able to add you own flare without changing this shared one. Hope this afternoon was useful in some way!’Megan CluneLead Teacher Puhinui School

We hope to see you again at our next cluster meeting in Week 8:Thursday 26 June at Rosehill Intermediate.RegardsSteveSteve PedersenICT Coordinator, Puhinui School

Thursday, May 22, 2014

We had a great meeting at Mangere East School on 3rd April last term. Apologies for the change in date necessitated by the NZEI meetings.

Thanks to Anthony Noble-Campbell and his staff for hosting us, providing a yummy afternoon tea, showing us through their new ‘Phoenix’ block, and sharing part of their ICT/Learning story with us.

The new Phoenix block incorporates the latest in educational thinking - that children learning in different ways in a varied, comfortable physical environment, with provision for easy interacting and use of mobile devices. Double storied, each storey has 5 teaching/learning spaces opening out into a large shared space, separated from the shared space by only floor to ceiling glass walls. This enables a range of learning/teaching styles within a regular class setting as well as various sized shared sessions in the larger area. There were also a number of group withdrawal rooms, again separated from each classroom by glass walls, for transparency.

Furniture included soft bean bags, soft stools around discussion tables, chairs with armrests for using a device or note-taking, and cushions, as well as regular tables and chairs. Looks like it will be unexciting learning space.

We also discussed a number of other issues including google docs and cloud computing.

Our next meeting is week 3, Thursday May 22 at Finlayson School, 85 John Walker Drive, Manurewa at 3.30 for a cuppa and starting at 3.45pm.

Please come prepared to input - an app, an issue or problem, something ICT related that is going well at your school, etc
We have managed to get a good knowledgeable speaker on Teacher Dashboard and Google Apps for Education for our next meeting this Thursday.

She has had experience administrating and using Google Apps and Teacher Dashboard in the classroom. It will be worthwhile seeing this presentation if your school has just started, or is planning to start using Google Apps and Teacher Dashboard, or were wondering what Teacher Dashboard is all about.

Could you please respond urgently with answers to these questions:

Is your school starting to use, or considering using Google Apps for Education?Do you use Teacher Dashboard, or are considering using it, or are you just interested in finding out what it is and how it works?